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Without fail, I get sick every winter. It changes from year to year but I'm down for about a week. During that week, I'm pumping myself full of healthy greens and lots of water. This bok choy soup is on a normal rotation during the winter but a big batch gets made every time I get sick.
The ginger broth is really what makes the soup but the bok choy is always such a nice treat. Also, this soup is great with any type of greens so if you're unable to find bok choy, you can still make this oup!
I use this ginger broth for numerous soups. Occasionally I'll add a splash of soy sauce or lime juice, but the recipe above is fairly standard for how I make the broth.
Noodles/Gluten-Free: If you're looking to keep this gluten-free, I would recommend using rice noodles. Simply adjust the cooking time as needed.
Greens: I don't have many recipes for bok choy, so this soup is usually my go-to. However, kale, chard or other Asian greens would also work with this soup.
Tofu: If you're looking to add a bit of protein, tofu would a good choice. Occasionally I'll also do a fried or poached egg on top of this bok choy soup.
This bok choy soup is one of the recipes I make whenever I start to feel sick. It's a good pick-me-up thanks to a nice zing of ginger.
Tips & Tricks: I'm not referring to instant top ramen noodles. Rather, I recommend ramen noodles such as my favorite dry ramen. Ramen is also available fresh or try your hand at making the noodles.
Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: ramen noodles, bok choy, ginger
Nutrition: see the information.
Bok choy is one of my favorite greens to eat during the winter. That's because it's hearty and cooks well in hot dishes. Usually, you can find full heads or some markets carry baby bok choy (which is shown above). As with the soup above, don't throw out the stems- they cook just as well as the leaves.
Roast: Roasted Baby Bok Choy with Lemon Garlic Cashew Cream
Grill: Steam Grilled Baby Bok Choy with Sesame Soy Vinaigrette
Stir fry: Bok Choy Stir Fry with Peanuts
I am new to your site and I really appreciate it. Thank you.
Yum! Soup is always my favorite during winter. It's so warm and comforting! Love the bok choy in this - all the flavors look so delicious!
This sounds like the most comforting dish.
Nourishing Amelia | Food, Health and Lifestyle Blogger
Soup noodles are the food of my childhood and my comfort food. They never fail to make my better- physically or mentally!
This looks SO DELICIOUS! I'm definitely going to try it out! 🙂
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I just want to curl up with this on a couch and slurp the noodles until the whole bowl is gone. YUM! Wonderful recipe, Erin!
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This was great and wonderfully easy. I added an egg to the leftovers the next day which made it even better.
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What brand of veggie stock do you use?
So sorry, your comment got lost in the spam filter! I usually make my own or I'll use Pacific.
Like you, all my family and I always get sick during the winter. And we all have a flue at the moment. I am making this for dinner tonight.
Thanks for a healthy and quick recipe.
Cheers!
I ran across this recipe last week when I was sick with strep throat and WOW! Not that I eat chicken noodle soup anymore but...if I did, I would totally swap it out for this soup when feeling bad. Or good! My husband (who is not vegetarian and doesn't LOVE soup like I do and wasn't sick) also ate it for dinner that night and loved it so much, he suggested we put this into normal dinner rotation! It's a really awesome soup! There is one thing I added because they looked so good when I was picking out the bok choy: shitake mushrooms! Oh my goodness! Love it! Also, I couldn't find those ramen noodles so I used soba instead and I think they are a great substitute.
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I made this tonight, and it was fantastic! My husband was doubting it from the recipe, but he's a convert now!
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That's awesome- always love to hear when something works out so well!
I made this soup this evening, not because I am sick, but because I was looking for a protein-rich, but relatively light summer soup. It was absolutely delicious, better than many on different Thai or Chinese sites. An absolutely fantastic recipe!
I made a few changes and additions. Some worked, some didn't. First, I added some Sriracha sauce for a bit more 'zing'. I also added some soy, for umami goodness. These worked well. Next time I might add some tumeric (also good for colds, but I just like it) and possibly some fresh coriander. I didn't add enough ginger, because the piece I bought ended up being very woody (grrrr) and I used buckwheat soba noodles because my local shops did not have wholewheat ramen (and I am trying to eat wholefoods). This was a bit of a mistake, because they cooked uber quickly and then fell to pieces and went gluey. Things to rectify for next time!
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Funny - I used a rice noodle and 4oz of that sucked up all the broth. 🙂
I'll make a note about that- different noodles would soak differently.
Curse my slow internet ... I also meant to add that I added some lightly pan-fried firm tofu. I fried it just enough to give it a light crispness, but not so much that it didn't soak up the flavours of the stock. Very yummy!
Thanks for the recipe! This is my new go-to! I also add baked tofu and sliced jalapeno to give it a good kick
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This was great! I added a small bird's eye chili pepper with the scallions, ginger, and garlic for a little heat. I also used buckwheat soba, but cooked the noodles directly in the broth, and only for half the cooking time suggested on the package. Mine didn't end up gluey like another commenter's did. Added an egg and it was a lovely light dinner.
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Thank you for this recipe. You are a wonderful cook. This was my first time having bok choy and it was so good this way. Move over canned chicken noodle soup, this is a way better choice for the winter and colds. Ginger is supposed to help a lot with the latter anyway.
I've been making recipes from your site for a long time now - it's my first stop when planning meals for the week (and almost all we eat!), but I've never commented....just admired from afar. But THIS recipe blew me (and my husband, and our 17 month-old) away so I knew it was time to speak up. I think you're brilliant, I think this site is SO FREAKING epic and it's organization is so genius. I feel like you're doing a great public service here so, from the bottom of my too-busy, wanting-to-eat-healthy heart, THANK YOU!
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I wish you had pictures of how you cut the scallions and bok choy because I'm kinda confused on your wording. "Chop through the light green stem" - does that mean chop the stem of cut it length-wise? "Roll the leaves together" - what does this look like?
Hi Rachel- I usually use 100% of the scallion, so I dice most of the scallion to use as small pieces. And if I'm understanding you right, you want to remove the stem completely from the bok choy and dice it into 1/4" sized pieces. Then for the leaves, I stack them together and roll them (like you might roll a sleeping bag or basil-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_gMTm7uf8Q) and chop.
Thank you! I just made the soup for dinner and I didn't like the noodles at all. I used buckwheat soba noodles since my store didn't have ramen. I'm pretty bummed that I didn't like the noodles :/ My hubby liked it tho
This soup sounds delicious! I just got bok choy at my co-op and had to search for a way to use it. Since we are in the middle of an extremely hot and humid summer in the South and my husband refuses to eat soup, how well does this freeze?
Such an easy recipe and quick too! This is amazing! I threw in a few other toppings which included lime, cilantro, jalapeños. The broth was so good the next day I threw it on top of some rice. This will be a cold season go to in my book from now one.
Next time, I will add the tofu and maybe some bamboo shoots too.
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Loved this soup! Added some chopped mushrooms at the beginning when the aromatics were getting going. Was a huge fan of the little bits of ginger and garlic at the bottom of the bowl. Thanks for a really great recipe!
Wow, this recipe is amazing. I always eat noodles when I am in China. Thanks for your recipe here, I will try it later. PS: your pictures are awesome.
I have six packages of organic instant ramen noodle soup - would repurposing these noodles ruin this soup (just reduce cook time)?
I'm not really sure- I've never worked with instant ramen before. If the noodles are plain, it might be okay.
Made it with soba noodles. Perfectly delicious and light at the end of a long week of heavier foods. It just feels wonderfully nourishing and healthy!
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So delish and easy to make for one after work (and comforting - winter arrived here today). I used soba and added white pepper. I was worried when the water/broth mostly disappeared and it wasn't soupy like the picture but I thoroughly enjoyed it regardless.
Really good! I tweaked it a bit, using more liquid to make it bigger and brothier, since I had a ton of pak choi, and I added crushed red pepper flakes, and Sriracha to kick up the heat, and lime juice to add in some sour. I skipped the noodles altogether and threw some shredded carrots and shrimp in. Great way to use a lot of CSA pak choi and scallions! Hoping it will freeze ok, too.
This was absolutely lovely - thank you for the recipe. I will add a little more water next time, but I think I added more noodles than it called for. I am already looking forward to the leftovers for tomorrow. Just in time to become a winter staple!
Thanks for the recipe! I made this because I felt a stomach bug coming on and was looking for something light and healthy. I didn’t deviate much except to add a bit of nama shoyu sauce and enoki mushrooms. It’s a simple soup. I wish it had a bit more richness to the broth (maybe add some light coconut milk?), but I would make again.
Hi! Thanks for the recipe.....I am going to make this for the first time for Valentines Day and it looked amazing and love all the ingredients in the soup. I love soups especially when I am under the weather.
I was diagnosed a year ago with Microscopic Colitis and I am having many issues finding the right foods and/or combinations to eliminate or to subside such side effects as in bloating and digestive issues. I was wondering if this soup would be of benefit due to me really having to eliminate the many salads i love to eat but haven't done so but realizing i need to. I would love any recipes you have to deal with the few things it seems i can have. So many now are off my list including dairy.
Thank you very much! i will still try this cause it looks healthy and comforting.
Very flavorful.
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Excellent recipe!! Since I have so many food sensitivities, I'm always looking for new recipes!! This is a winner! Will be looking for more of your recipes!
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I loved this recipe but found I had to add 2 more cups of broth because the noodles soaked up a lot of the broth. I didn’t have any vegetable broth so I used chicken broth. It was delicious!!
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Hi! I really like your healthy recipes! This the second time I'm cooking according to your instructions and it's very delicious again. Thank you!
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Would definitely make this again. Used instant ramen because that’s what I had. Great soup on a cold, rainy day!
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This is so delicious and easy! I love soup and had to try this one, definitely will make again and again! I added some sliced Bella mushrooms to it and a little diced hot pepper. So good!
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Just lovely. Used leftover rice noodles and cooked them separately. Sautéed aromatics, added a bit of chicken base, double garlic and doubled ginger (which I keep whole and frozen, and peel with carrot peeler and grate on fine planer-- it melts into dishes and infuses them. Paste also available in many stores-- LOT LESS WORK). Superb. Will add lime and sprouts next time. soy sauce. shrimp. Brown rice instead of noodles? SO many ways to go!!!!
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Hello!
I tried this recipe today and found it very nice! Great base! To my taste it was lacking a bit of flavour, even with the red chili flakes. What spices/herbs do you think would complement this well ?
Thank you!
Camélia
I usually rely on more garlic/ginger/scallions to boost up the flavor but I think maybe cilantro or mint might be nice. You could also add a bit of umami to the dish by stirring in miso at the end (which I do more often than not). Toasted/ground coriander might be nice as well!
Thank you for replying and for the ideas!
For tonight’s portion, I added a bit of nori that I remembered I had. Gave it a salty twist that I enjoyed.
I’ll try with miso next time. 🙂
Thanks again!
this was a huge hit in our family and a great way to use the huge head of bok choy we bought at the farmers market. I did add soy sauce to the soup, which I felt was missing.
I make my own food all the time and I never leave reviews on recipes. This one's very good, that's all I can say.
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I don’t know what I did wrong, it sounded delicious. I followed this recipe to the exact measurements and ingredients and it had absolutely no flavor. We added some additional seasoning and splash of soy sauce to save it.
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First time doing this and it was delicious. The ginger and the garlic are so fragrant in the soup. The bok Choy is perfect with the broth. I used packet ramen instead and it still turned out great.
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I was wayyy lazy skimmed this recipe... whipped out the rice cooker.. and tossed in beef ramen... chopped 3 stalks of boc choy... one chopped gr onion.. added a half teaspoon of mixed ginger garlic... hit cook.... walked away and about 20 min later poof done!!
Ladled up a bowl and gave it a drizzle of chili oil... mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I will be doing this again.. and adding other goodies ... not epic cooking skills.. but hey... she worked and well!! thanks girl!